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RESULTS:
2005
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AHASA
/ 6th WORLD AFGHAN HOUND CONGRESS
6 - 9 May 2005
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Contact:
SHOWDOGS
SPEAKERS
AT THE 6th AFGHAN HOUND WORLD CONGRESS
GARRY
NEWTON (USA) : Current day Afghans in Afghanistan
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Little
information concerning the current status of Afghan
Hounds residing in Afghanistan has been shared with
the rest of the world. We have the history and lore
of the breed as it was introduced to the Western World,
but with new and current information, it seems that
some of our conceptions and information might be suspect
or at least be re-evaluated. The Afghan community also
appears interested in current information concerning
all aspects of the Afghan Hound residing in their country
of origin. Garry's presentation shared information gained
from Mr Wahab Kamal, who has hunted and lived with Afghan
Hounds for his entire life in Afghanistan. A combined
experience of about 140 years highlights Afghan Hound
knowledge and lore, feeding habits, living habits, mating,
and - to them most importantly - hunting. |
TERRY
WILCOX (AUSTRALIA) : Benchmarking Afghan gait
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This
presentation dealt with archival videos of notable Afghans
of the last 50 years, tracing movement and its evolution
to the current day. Terry discussed movement characteristics
unique to this breed, and elaborated on these attributes
and how they are essential for an Afghan to perpetuate
correct gait. |
CINZIA
AYMARETTI CAMIA (ITALY) : Type diversity (standard vs
bloodline types) A definitive study of a sole standard
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Cinzia's
presentation consisted of two separatae sections: the
first was an introduction to the main topic, namely
the second topic, the definition of a sole standard
for Afghan hounds. Cinzia covered the diference between
the terms "standard types" and "bloodline
types". The importance of diversity and of global
bloodline exchanges influences breeders' choices. Cinzia
suggested a need to provide a comprehensive guide to
the Afghan Hound morphology secrets. She presented a
draft Afghan Hound "United" standard, with
text fitting both the FCI and AKC standards and made
comparisons between the statements therein. |
GARY
SINCK (USA) : The deadly blues: the defects, associated
problems, and origins
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Gary
discussed the potential defects and problems associated
with the blue colour in Afghans. He discussed the make-up
of the colour blue and explained how blue is inherited.
Drawing on knowledge available on other breeds of dogs
and animals that exhibit blue colour, he discussed the
origin of defective blues and pedigrees, development
in the embryo, and the ages at which mortality is common
or high. |
JOHAN
GALLANT (SOUTH AFRICA) : Africanis or aboriginal dog
of South Africa
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Africanis
is the umbrella name for the various types of aboriginal
dogs found in southern Africa. The existing archaeological
record shows that the domestic dog made its appearance
on the African continent roughly 6,700 years ago.
Scientists suggest that it came with nomadic herders
from the Orient. The earliest fossils were found in
the Nile delta in Egypt. It is important to note that
this date precedes the rule of the first pharaoh in
the Old Kingdom by almost 1,500 years and that by
that time the dog had spread over the entire Sahara
region and along the river Nile into present day Sudan.
Without denying the very important role that the Ancient
Egyptians played in the history of the dog, one has
to keep in mind that they were not the initiators.
For the past ten years John has been researching the
records of domestic dog fossils in Africa and placed
them on the map. In this way he was able to illustrate
the progressive dispersal of the dog over the continent.
Over the centuries, and as they spread across the
continent, the dogs adapted in a natural way to the
specific climatological and ecological conditions
of the various regions and to the utilitarian requirements
of the people with whom they were living. The aboriginal
dogs of southern Africa are not a diversity of breeds
in the Western sense of the word. These dogs constitute
a heterogeneous land race because they have not been
subject to selective breeding. Their adaptation to
the often stringent African conditions forged them
into well-adapted, parasite-resistant and predominantly
healthy animals. They are a delight from a behavioural
and utilitarian point of view. They are a living testimony
of how dogs were before the influence of western cynology.
Therefore they are not only a cultural but also a
biological and historical patrimony. They are an intrinsic
part of the African renaissance.
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LYNN
WATSON (AUSTRALIA) : Technicolour Dream Coat
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The
Afghan Hound standard allows "any colour".
Of course, what is unwritten is that such colours must
be within the framework of what is in the closed sludbook
or collective gene pool, at the time of conception of
the first standard. In the strictest meaning of our
standard, "any colour" is certainly not "every
colour" known in canines. In spite of the standard
words there are some aspects of colour thai are universally
considered undesirable in the Afghan. In fact, by enforcing
and restricting permissible colours, it is possible
that any given standard may keep a breed free of certain
heritable detects, there being uncovered more and more
physiological problems directly related to the genes
for certain colours or combinations, such as merle,
some forms of white and black, extreme dilutions and
albino. |
LESLEY
BUSBY (UK) : Changing scene in the UK: last 20 years
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From
a situation in the UK some twenty years ago, when to
see an imported dog, or a dog from imported lines, was
something of a rarity, it is now becoming quite a task
to find an Afghan Hound that is predominately British
breeding. This is because all our Afghans carry some
'foreign' breeding, somewhere way back in their pedigrees.
Since the Pet Passport Scheme came into being, the influx
of dogs from other countries coming into the UK has
escalated at, what some regard, an alarming speed. Whether
enough thought has been put into the subsequent mixing
of pedigrees is open to conjecture, and Lesley has accordingly
sought the opinions of many UK breeders and exhibitors
- those who have imported, those who have used imported
dogs in their breeding programmes, and also those who
would not consider either importing, or incorporating
foreign lines into their breeding programme.
With the help of photographs, Lesley presented a balanced
view of the chamign Afghan scene in the UK. |
ULF
JORGENSEN (DENMARK) : Where have all the flowers gone?
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Ulf
started in Afghans in the late 60s, and in the following
years, saw Afghans at dog shows all over Europe, in
USA and in Australia. He was impressed by the beautiful
Afghan Hounds in the show rings and especially from
the photos in Afghan magazines. Today, it is very difficult
to be impressed. When he sees photos in the magazines,
he gets so disappointed, and when he watches Afghans
in the show rings, he wonders, "Where have all
the flowers
gone?"
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The
following presenters led a vibrant debate on various
thought-provoking topics: |
GAEL
MORISON (SOUTH AFRICA) : Correct pelvic assembly
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GILL
ULLOM (USA) : The hallmarks of Afghan Hounds
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LOTTE
JORGENSEN (DENMARK) : Why do we breed Afghans?
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MARY
PASCOE (UK) : How easy is it to make a champion?
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PAUL
HEWITT (AUSTRALIA) : Judging the Afghan Hound:
why is it so difficult?
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